Toy railroad



y 3 1950 R. G. SMITH 2,509,788

' TOY RAILROAD Filed Dec. 5; 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

iNVENTOR g lF/CHA RD 6'. SMITH F BY W WW/ ATTORNEY R. G. SMITH May 30,1950 TOY RAILROAD 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 5, 1944 INVENTOR RVs/MRO6. SMITH ATTORN EY y M, Ma R. G. SMITH 2,509,788

TOY RAILROAD Filed Dec. 5, 1944 I5 Sheets-Sheet 15 7 f m e /7 mm Z0 0/IV I J O T 5* 2/ l zz INVENTOR RVs/4,420 6. SMITH ATTORNEY Patented May30, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOY RAILROAD Richard G. Smith,Amsterdam, N. Y.

Application December 5, 1944, Serial No. 566,669

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to toy railroads.

In the operation and maintenance of regular railways it is customary toemploy a small car which can be propelled along the track when it isnecessary, or may be removed from the track to clear the track for thepassage of regular trains. These cars may be operated by hand, orpropelled electrically, or by gasoline engine.

The present invention contemplates arranging the toy track layout sothat short lengths of wheel bearing and power rails are supported on alaterally shiftable carrier, and this carrier supports laterally of thefirst track rails a second short length of track rails suitable forsupporting a toy hand car, the whole being arranged so that either setof track rails may be inserted into the layout and the toy hand carbrought into line with the other rails or shifted out of line. Thismakes it possible to simulate the use of a hand car.

The invention also contemplates that the track carrier shall be operatedelectromagnetically from one position to the other, either manuallyunder the control of circuit closers, or semi-automatically, onemovement being train controlled, while the other is manually controlled,or completely automatic.

The invention also contemplates the use of a power operated hand carwhich when brought from the siding position to the aligned position maybe started into operation so that it will continue along the track in amanner similar to a train. When it is desired to return to regular trainoperation the hand car is stopped on the short track raiis, shifted outof the way and the usual rails restored.

ihe invention may conveniently be embodied in an accessory having thehand car-either selfpropelled or a dummy-and the track carrier, itssupport and operating mechanism, the latter being adapted for insertioninto the regular track layout. The track layout may be conventional, buthas controlled circuits either manual or automatic and, in some cases,insulated lengths of power rail.

The accompanying drawings show, for purposes of illustrating the presentinvention, an embodiment in which the invention may take form, togetherwith an electric circuit, it being understood that the drawings areillustrative of the invention rather than limiting the same.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the track acces sory showing the parts inposition for regular 2 train operation and carrying supplemental railsalomside the track;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figures 1 and 3looking in the direction or the arrows;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view on a line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view with the track carrierremoved to showelectrical contacts;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 55 of Figures 1and 2; and Figure 6 is a wiring diagram.

Reference is first made to the wiring diagram of Figure 6. The toyrailroad track layout with the conventional wheel bearing rails no, Iand power rail II is connected to the usual transformer T through wiresindicated at l2, l3 and train control switch it so that propulsioncurrent can be supplied to the power and return rails.

The power rail is here shown as being interrupted by insulatorsindicated at E and I6 and a jumper connection ll extends from one powerrail to the other. The distance separating insulators i5 and it will besufficient to permit a train, whose running gear is indicated at R, tocoast to a stop before it reaches the track accessory indicatedgenerally at A. The train can operate in either direction. Thisaccessory has two solenoid coils 58 and l 9 w..,ose common point isconnected by a wire 23 with one of the terminals of the transformer T,for example, the terminal adapted to deliver volts. The outer ends ofthe coils l8 and it] are connected through push buttons 2! and 22,respectively, to wire 23 which in turn is connected to the return sideof the transformer either by a direct Wire as indicated or to the wheelbearing rail. The power wire jumper I? is connected through a wire 24through contacts to be described with a short length of power rail 25carried on the accessory so that when the parts are in the positionindicated in Figure 6 regular train operation can be had along thetracks.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, it will be seen that theaccessory A has a sheet metal base which carries short lengths of wheelbearing rail 3! and short lengths of power rail 32. All these rails areadapted to be connected into track sections having cooperative rails.The particular form of construction of the rails will be varied so thatthey will fit the rails employed in the remainder of the toy tracklayout. The over-all space occupied in the track layout by the rails 3|and 32 will normally be somewhat less than the length of the regulartrack section and they may be supplemented by a suitable short tracksection to make up the regular track switch section length.

The base 30 has a central depression 33 and the inner or adjacent endsof the wheel bearing rails 3| extend to some extent over this depression33. The power rails 32, 32 are connected together by a jumper 35 whichis connected to a contact 35 carried in and insulated from the depressedpart 33 of the base. A sheet metal rail carrier 36 is fitted in thedepression 33 and is adapted to slide back and forth therealong beingheld down by the ends of the rails 3 l This carrier supports lengths ofwheel bearing rail 31, 3! which are adapted to be aligned with the wheelbearing rails 3|, 3!. It also carries the short length of power rail 25above referred to. The rail 25 isinsulated from the carrier 36 and isprovided with a contact 33 adapted to engage fixed contact 35 so thatwhen the parts are in the positions indicated in Figures 1, 2 and 6 allthe power rails of the track are connected together and continuous trainoperation may be had.

The track carrier 35 is moved back and forth by a link 59 operated by abell crank lever 40 pivoted at M. The lever 40 carries a pin 42connected to an armature as which passes through the coils l3 and 19.These coils i8 and I9 are connected by wires M, 45 and it with bindingposts 41, 3 and as so that the coils may be connected to extraneouscontrol devices such as push buttons or circuit control closers 2! and22.

The depressed portion 33 of the base also carries a contact i! adaptedto engage a contact similar to the contact 38 and extending down fromthe rail 25 so that when the rail 25 is in the position shown in Figures1 and 2 it is connected to the contact 55. The contact 5!! is connectedto the wire 24 which in turn is connected to a binding post 5!, thisbinding post being available for connection to the jumper wire ll.

The carrier 36 also carries two short lengths of wheel bearing rail 52,which may be used to support a hand car. If this hand car is a dummyhand car, only the two track rails 52 will be required to support it andthe train may be allowed to coast to a stop between one of theinsulators 55 or IE and the accessory so that it will not hit the handcar. The dummy car can be shifted back and forth, if desired.

If a seli-propelled hand car is to be used, the insulators l5 and l5,jumper H and wire 24 may be omitted and the third rail in the region ofthe accessory will then be live. A self-propelled hand car indicated at53 in Figures 1, 2, 5 and 6 and will be provided with wiring indicatedin Figure 6. This will include a propulsion motor having field winding54, armature 55 and reversing switch 55 under the control of asolenoid-coil indicated at 57. This coil operates a ratchet 58 whichturns the drum 56 of the reversing switch so that the propulsion motorcircuit is open or power is applied to the motor to operate it in onedirection or the other. As the coil 51 is energized as long aspropulsion current is supplied to the propulsion motor, this coil holdsthe ratchet operating mechanism 58 in one position until deenergized,whereupon the coil operated mechanisms are released and drop.

As the car 53 will be deenergized when it is on the rails 52, 52 andthey are in the position indicated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings,the reversing switch mechanism and propulsion motor will be deenergizedand any devices operated by the coil 51 or the motor will assume areleased position. Advantage is taken of this fact to provide aconvenient means of stopping the selfpropelled hand car at the rightplace and holding it there while the car is on the siding.

As shown more clearly in Figure 5 the power rail 59 has a droppedportion til. This is adapted to receive a vertically movable stopelement 6! which is controlled by the solenoid coil 62. This coil isconnected across the armature terminals of the propulsion motor and isenergized when the motor is energized. Instead of lifting element 6! bythe solenoid as shown, it could be operated by the coil 57 of thereverser.

As above stated normal train operation may be had when the parts are inthe position shown in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive. If one wishes tooperate the hand car, the train is stopped, the locomotive is broughtonto some location, for example, one a siding S, where the power rail isinsulated and separately energized, then the push button 2! is closedthereby energizing the coil l9, and this coil will operate the lever 40and link 39 to shift the carrier 36 from the position indicated, to aposition where the parts have been moved to the left, Figures 1 and 2,an amount to bring rails 52 and 59 in line with rails 3! and 32. Therail 59 is provided with two contacts 15 and 16 adapted to engage thefixed contacts 35 and 5!]. In this way the rail 59 will be energized.The reversin switch on the hand car will then be immediately energized,and this will lift the device 5| out of the dropped portion 69 and openthe propulsion motor circuit. The hand car, however, will not startuntil the circuit has been opened and reclosed because a second movementof the reversing unit is necessary to establish the propulsion motorconnections. The hand car may then be operated with the control switchat [4 and travel about the track as desired, so long as the train R doesnot interfere with its operation. The reversing switch of the hand carmay be disabled if oneway hand car operation only is desired. When it isdesired to stop the hand car it is run toward the accessory and thepower turned off just before it gets there, so that it will coast alonguntil the device 5i falls into the dropped portion Bil. This will stopthe hand car and. then it can be shifted to the side position byoperating the button 22. Where the hand car is a dummy the rail 59 andwiring for this rail may be omitted. Then the power rail between l5 andIt will be dead when the hand car is in line with the rails and thetrain can coast up near the accessory and stop.

Since it is obvious that the invent on may be embodied in other formsand constructions within the scope of the claims, I wish it to beunderstood that the particular form shown is but one of these forms, andvarious modifications and changes being possible. I do not otherwiselimit myself in any way with respect thereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A toy railroad comprising an electrically propelled train, a powersupply, track layout having the usual wheel bearing rails and powerrails, a track carrier interposed in the track layout and laterallyshiftable relative to the adjacent rails of the track and having twosets of wheel bearing rails either of which may be aligned with theadjacent rails so that the train can pass over the aligned set of wheelbearing rails and so that the other set of rails will be disposedlaterally of the adjacent rails of the track, the track carrier alsohaving a power rail between each pair of wheel bearing rails the powerrail on the carrier being electrically connected with aligned powerrails to supply power to the locomotive, electromagnetic means forshifting the track carrier back and fourth, means for energizing theelectromagnetic means, and an electrically propelled vehicle of a lengthto be supported on a pair of track rails on the carrier, whereby it maybe shifted from a position to one side of the track where it isdeenergized to a position in line with the track where it is energizedfor self propulsion, the carrier and Vehicle having normallyinterengageable elements which keep the vehicle in position on thedeenergized rails of the carrier, and the vehicle having means fordisengaging said elements when propulsion current is supplied to thevehicle.

2. A toy railroad accessory comprisin a base, two sets of fixed powerand wheel bearing rails, the sets being separated from one another toprovide a gap and aligned with one another whereby the accessory can beinterposed in a toy track layout, a transversely reciprocable slidercarried by the base and carrying two pairs of wheel bearin rails, eitherpair of which may be placed in line with the fixed wheel bearing rails,the base being depressed between the sets of fixed rails and the innerends of the fixed rails overlying the slider and holding the slider downagainst the base.

3. A toy railroad accessory comprising a base, a slider carried by thebase, an electromagnetic device carried on the base for shifting theslider back and fourth, wheel bearing and power rails carried by thebase and extending in a direction at right angles to the movement of theslider, wheel bearing and power rails carried by the base at the samespacing as those on the slider, a second set of wheel bearing rails onthe slider, and devices for limiting the movement of the slider so thateither set of wheel bearing rails thereon may be aligned with the fixedwheel bearing rails on the base, the base being grooved to accommodatethe slider and the fixed wheel bearing rails overlying the slider andholding it in the groove.

4. A toy railroad track having wheel bearing rails and a central powerrail a short portion of which is depressed below the common level of theremainder of the track, and a toy vehicle on the track having apropulsion motor and a solenoid operated armature energized concurrentlywith the motor and carrying a stop element adapted to be lifted abovethe general level of the track when the solenoid is energized and todrop onto the power rail when the solenoid is deenergized and to enterthe depression.

RICHARD G. SMITH.

REFERENQES CETED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Oct. 3, 1916Number Number

